Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-13

Demand by the Tea Stores-The Cheap
Chrome Craze and the Gift Bush
ness.
The latest thing in mechanical toys can be
seen in one or two stores on Broadway.
Placed in the show windows, the toy attracts
grea. crowds. It is of German origin, and II
first .aade its appearance here before the hol-
idaYs. 1t represents an old man in dressing
gown and nightcap endeavoring TO annihilete
a rat with something that looks like tennis
bat. What tickles the risibilities Of the ad-
miring crowd outside the window is the ex-
preston Of abject disappointment on the old
mans face SIS he strikes where the rat ought
to be. The toy when wound up viii attract
a crowd and keep pickpockets busy for about
two hours.
Curiosity impelled the writer to seek some
information about the origin and price OF
this man and rat combination. He did not
intend to purchase. Being married man he
gets "rats" at home at first cost. A young
nan-further description of him is unneces-
sary, be was Broadway clerk-smiled and
pulled out pad, as though he was about to
take an order When informed that curioS-
ity was the object of his visit his suavity did
not desert him-he was still a Broadway
clerk.
The courteous clerk explained that his chief
imported half dozen of the toys last year.
They cost about IS each, and were sold at
from IS to SO. lie continued: "Our firm,
having a toy factory, resolved to find work
men in this country capable OF making tho
same kind of mechanism. They succeeded,
and now the toys are made ~ cost of about
$50 dozen"
BUYERS OF TEA AND COFFEE
"Do you sell manyP
@Yss, as fast as we can manufacture. A
few DAYS ago we had au order for fifty from
q western retail tea store"
"TVhat would a tea store want with such
things?"
"Thev give them away to purchasers of tea
and coffee. These tea men nowadays give
away many things in our line. We sell them
dolls, toilet sets, boxes of paints, and many
other knickknacks. Just go up to Grand
street and see what they have in their win
dows TO give away TO customers"
Thanking the uibene Broadway clerk, the
reporter wendell his way to Grand street to
find out how tea stores can afford to be SO
liberal
In due time he stepned into a store, the
leading tint Of which was vermilion. There
was nothing 10 distinguish the interior from
a crockery store except the vermilion and a
strong odor of roasted coffee. The reporter
approached man who presided over the cash
desk and wore a polo cap and sweet smile,
md who proved to he the manager Of the
concern, and asked how tea stores could be so
lavish with crockery and such things to their
patrons
"Some years ago" said the wearer Of the
polo cap, "a house in this CITY began giving
away cheap chromos. That was the begin
ming of the evil Their trade increased, for
in those DAYS people were chrome crazy. The
Introduction of glassware and crockery had
its origin in the inv entive brain OF a man who
is now very wealthy and is in business on
Second avenue l wish he was in Jericho.
Then began sharp competition. Each tea
nanvied with the Others in inventing some
row "fake" 70 catch the foolish housekeeper.
The customers when posted in this gift enter
prise business became very exacting.
shouldn't he surprised SOME day TO hear a
ledy asking for a ton of coal or piano after
purchasing five pounds Of tea.
BASIS OF THE BUSINESS.
"With every purchase of tea and coffee wa
give tickets in this way With one pound OF
fifty cent tea or with two pounds of thirty
cent coffee we give one whole tirllee This is
the basis. Some articles that We give away
such as lamps and cloclls-reguire as many
as twenty-five full tickets. One ticket on an
average is equal to from six to eight cents OFF
the profits"
your profits must he pretty lar~e to per
nit Of such liberslity," suggested the re-
porter
"We'l, now, I don't mind telling YOU, since
Won Scam apyi0ue. Our fans TT fifty cents q
pcrrl cost us about twentv-one cents, and
orr coffee 1T th;r-v cents. when we sell it
rr7u- :. stands us Z 'out welve cents O pound;
So, Won sac, even thoH-h We are liberal, we
viii make a large profit"
You say when YOU sell the coffee groundw
"That's what ! s7d Won sec. chic!o-v.
rye, and pens do nor COS, as much as coffee
"And where do th"y coma ing1
"Ah, | see you nre not on 10 many of the
tricks of orr trade. Don't Won know that
when we sell ground coffee nearly half of It
is chicsory, rye, and neasi Great Scott!
man, how 90 Won think We are going to live
and give an eight day clock with ten whole
tickats"
"Do Won sdultarate vour teas, toc9r
well no; that would not nav. You. see
we mix coffee AMI blend teas. By hlendin~ |
n1esn we mix good, bad, and middling to-
gether, call it some outlandish combination
or chop and let her go New York Her.
aid.
TEACHING LONCONERS ENGLISH.